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Champlain College accounting students assist in tax form completion in partnership with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity.
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Champlain College accounting, finance and business students are giving back and earning volunteer experience, partnering alongside a regional social services office to help those in need with their tax returns.
As part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA), students gain experience filing taxes on behalf of another person and assist community members in their personal finances.
How it works: The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) runs the local VITA and receives help from colleges and universities in the vicinity, including Champlain College, St. Michael’s College and the University of Vermont. CVOEO is also supported by federal organizations like the IRS, in addition to AARP and the United Way.
VITA offers free tax assistance for taxpayers making under $60,000, elderly residents and people with disabilities.
Champlain has worked with CVOEO for 30 years, providing volunteer help to lessen the burden on taxpayers in filing their paperwork. Champlain students make up about 75 percent of CVOEO VITA volunteers each year.
While they typically belong to the Stiller School of Business as accounting and finance majors, volunteers can be any learner at the institution.
Before volunteering, students complete a three-day workshop with CVOEO on tax law and other preparation in conjunction with the IRS. At the end, students must pass a test to receive IRS certification and commit to following the Volunteer Standards of Conduct.
Once certified, students are matched to a local community center by VITA site coordinators and assigned working hours to conduct filings.
Student volunteers are also mentored, and all their filings undergo review before they’re sent on.
The impact: Most student participants say they help with VITA to give back to their community, but also for the hands-on experience and experiential learning it provides related to their major.
“Being a VITA volunteer through Champlain College has allowed me to gain real-world career experience that will give me a step up after graduation,” says Martina Monroe, a fourth-year accounting major at Champlain. “It’s been extremely rewarding and has reinforced my decision to pursue this field of work full-time.”
After serving 40 volunteer hours, students receive one credit in accounting and résumé experience.
In 2022, Champlain students completed around 1,400 tax returns and awarded close to $3 million in refunds.
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